Claim Me

Chapter 18

“Give me my bags.”

He didn’t.

“Have it your way then.”

I turned around and was only able to take one step away from him before he took hold of my wrist. It firmly kept me in place, but it wasn’t painful. I refused to face him, but Talon wasn’t shy about getting closer with so many spectators to watch. Even though his body heat seared my back, I still had the urge to shiver.

“Lydia,” he tenderly whispered my name. “Don’t leave.”

“If you continue to act as if we’re closer than we really are, then I will leave,” I said in a harsh tone. “Let go of me.”

After a few seconds, Talon reluctantly did so. He even took a step back to give me space. I turned around and stared at the large werewolf who gazed at me as if I were his lover. To the humans who watched us with interest, it probably did seem as if we were in a relationship.

As a group of teenaged boys passed by us, one shouted, “Just kiss her!” before they skittered away, laughing at the genius of their friend’s words.

I groaned silently before holding out my hand. Talon gave me my bags but he didn’t fully let go of the handles.

“No matter how much you may try to win me over, Talon, you will fail. No one can take me away from Mickey.”

“You don’t love him. The only thing keeping you two together is an obligation. There are much stronger bonds than obligation.”

“And do you believe that your love for me will bring me to you? Do you believe that your love for me is stronger than my bond with Mickey?”

“I can make it stronger,” he said with an urgency as he finally let go of my bags. “I can. If you’d just give me the chance, I could—”

“But I don’t,” I cut him off. “I don’t want to give you that chance.”

Talon’s eyes widened.

“To give you a chance means that I’m hoping you’ll successfully take me away from Mickey. I don’t want that. I want to stay by his side. Even though he doesn’t love me, I still want to be with him. Because…because…”

“You love him,” he slowly finished. “You…love him?”

I pressed my lips into a thin line before nodding.

“But before—”

“I never said I didn’t love him when I spoke to Octavia. But I do. It’s just that it’s a one-sided love from me. Then again, he does love me, but it’s not in the romantic aspect. He cares for me, only because he’s kind. He’s kind to everyone, especially women.”

“That means you’re just another woman to him!” Talon raised his voice. “How could you stand to be put on the same ground as other women in his life when you’re to become his wife?”

“Because we never promised to love each other in this marriage. We simply promised to fulfill the duty assigned by the Elders.”

Talon stared at me with narrowed eyes. “So that’s why. You don’t want to give me a chance because you know that your love has no foundation. One small tremor would crumble it.”

I tilted my head slightly in confusion. “What?”

“You’re afraid that I could shake you to the core strong enough to break your bond with your fiancé. That’s why you refuse to get any closer. Because there’s the possibility that I’ll succeed…and you’ll be left feeling guilty.”